Math and the Rise of Civilization

tv show

poster for Math and the Rise of Civilization

5 total episodes

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1 seasons

First Aired December 19, 2011

Overview

A guided tour of the history of numbers and how they’ve shaped the development of humankind is at the heart of this unique series. In five episodes that take us across time and around the world, we see how mathematics played an important role in ancient Egypt and Greece, early India, medieval Europe, and our own modern world. Computer graphics make mathematical formulae accessible and interesting, while dramatic reenactments of history pique the viewer’s interest.

tv poster

The Elements

Season 1 - Episode 2 - 1h 50m

Air Date

December 20, 2011

Overview

In this episode we move to the Greek civilization, where meticulous thinkers used logic and reason to build the foundations of mathematics laid down by the Egyptians. Along with Pythagoras, to whom we owe the famous theorem, these philosophers have shown, through mathematics, the principles of geometry we know today.